The Ghost's Grave [NOOK Book]

Overview

What Josh thought would be the dullest summer of his life, spent with his eccentric great-aunt, turns chilling when he meets the ghost of a coal miner killed in a mine explosion. Willie has been waiting years for some kind soul to dig up his leg and rebury it with the rest of him—only then will he be at peace. Josh agrees to do the grisly deed, but when he digs in the old cemetery, he finds more than Willie’s leg bones! Who buried the box of cash in the grave, and why? How far will that person go to get the money...

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This Book

Overview

What Josh thought would be the dullest summer of his life, spent with his eccentric great-aunt, turns chilling when he meets the ghost of a coal miner killed in a mine explosion. Willie has been waiting years for some kind soul to dig up his leg and rebury it with the rest of him—only then will he be at peace. Josh agrees to do the grisly deed, but when he digs in the old cemetery, he finds more than Willie’s leg bones! Who buried the box of cash in the grave, and why? How far will that person go to get the money back? The Ghost’s Grave is a deliciously spooky adventure from a master of suspense.

Apprehensive about spending the summer in Washington State with his Aunt Ethel when his parents get an overseas job, twelve-year-old Josh soon finds adventure when he meets the ghost of a coal miner.

Editorial Reviews

Children's Literature

Well-known author Peg Kehret has done it again. She has written another exciting and entertaining ghost story. In this story the main character is Josh, a typical teenage boy whose dreams of playing baseball all summer are destroyed when he learns that he will be visiting his Aunt Ethel for eight long weeks. Josh fears his summer will be boring but the excitement begins as soon as he meets Aunt Ethel. The adventures quickly escalate as Josh meets a ghost who asks for help. Josh reluctantly agrees to help the ghost by digging in a nearby cemetery. While he is digging, Josh discovers more than he expected and this leads to a dangerous confrontation with a crook. Josh is an intelligent young man but is he clever enough to escape a conflict with an armed and angry intruder? This book is very enjoyable. It is well written, fast-paced, and hard to put down; all of the attributes that many young people seek when selecting reading material. 2005, Dutton Children's Books/Penguin Group, Ages 10 up.
—Denise Daley

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-Josh, 12, is furious at his mom and step-dad, who are spending their summer in India while he is trapped in Carbon City, WA. Aunt Ethel is very peculiar-she serves dinner for breakfast and thinks the peacock living on the porch is her dead sister. Josh's luck turns when he discovers a tree house and a stray cat with kittens nearby. He also meets a ghost named Willie, who shares the tragic story of his death and convinces Josh to dig up his leg bones and reunite them with the rest of his body. When Josh stumbles upon a metal box full of money buried with Willie's leg, he heads home with the cash, planning to tell Ethel and to call the police. But she breaks her ankle and is rushed to the hospital before he gets the chance. Later that night, the owner of the cash tracks down Josh and demands it back at gunpoint. Willie, the peacock, and a quick-thinking neighbor come to Josh's aid and foil the thief. This fast-paced and engaging book should be a hit with fans of ghost stories. Josh is a rich character to whom readers can relate and they will cheer him on as he searches for the truth.-Alison Grant, West Bloomfield Township Public Library, MI Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Twelve-year-old Josh expected his summer with an elderly relative in Carbon City, Wash. to be utterly boring. However, his aunt turns out to be amusingly eccentric, and a secluded tree house in the woods is a perfect place to read and watch deer. There he encounters the ghost of a one-legged coal miner, Willy Martin. Willie asks him to dig up his lost leg and bury it with the rest of his body. Surprisingly, Josh agrees, but he finds more than just leg bones; the man who stole the money the town had raised for an animal shelter had hidden it in the leg's uncared-for grave. Josh's first-person narrative literally opens with a bang, as Aunt Ethel shoots a bat in her kitchen his first night there. The action moves quickly to the suspenseful moment when the robber, seeking to retrieve his treasure, threatens Josh at gunpoint. A subplot involving taming an abandoned cat may add interest for animal lovers. Easy to booktalk, this is a solidly plotted ghost story for middle-grade readers. (Fiction. 9-12)

Children's Literature
- Caitlyn Payne

Josh can't imagine how he is going to survive the summer in the country with his great aunt Ethel. There is only a tiny town near her house, no baseball team for him to join, no TV, and after 24 hours with his aunt, Josh decides I've moved in with a lunatic, even though his mother "warned me not to be guilty of ageism." His eccentric aunt has a peacock she swears is possessed by her dead sister's ghost, chases bats out of the house with a shotgun, feeds Josh breakfast food for dinner and dinner food for breakfast, and decorates cakes for a living. Josh fears he will be bored all summer until he discovers a tree house on his aunt's property, where he begins to spend time every day. When Josh's book gets moved unseen around the tree house between his visits, he starts to doubt his eyes—is he losing his mind? Or is the tree house haunted? To his astonishment, it turns out the tree house is haunted—by a friendly ghost named Willy. Josh is the first person who has been able to see and communicate with Willy in over 50 years. As Josh gets to know and befriends Willy, he learns that Willy is prevented from becoming an angel and "moving on" because he is angry about the way he died—a mine explosion in 1905. But that's not even the worst part—Willy lost his leg, and his leg and the rest of him were buried in two separate places. Willy begs for Josh's help in getting his leg bones and the rest of his bones laid to rest together in one place. A bit daunted at first, Josh finally gives in, telling Willy "you're the most demanding ghost I've ever known!" and begins an expedition to dig up the bones. But when Josh sneaks into the graveyard and excavates Willy's grave, he is shocked to find a modern metal box filled with cash in the grave with Willy's bones. How did the box get there? As Josh helps Willy get his skeleton to rest in one place and investigate where the box could have come from, he begins to unearth secrets from both the past and present, including a theft from a charity and the history of what caused the mine explosion where Willy died. With each discovery, Josh's summer becomes more complicated, dangerous, and exciting than he ever expected. Mr. Carroll's narration of Josh's story brings out the humor, dry wit, and entertainment of a ghost looking for resolution, an elderly lady who marches to the beat of her own drum, and the sharp brain, interest in life, and normal teenage reactions of Josh. Despite the title, the story has many more humorous than scary elements, and would be suitable for audiences from ages 10 and up. It's the perfect summer listen—ghosts, mysteries, eccentric aunts and all. Reviewer: Caitlyn Payne

Related Subjects

Meet the Author

Peg Kehret was born in Wisconsin, grew up in Minnesota, spent fourteen years in California, and now lives with her husband in Washington State. They have two grown children, four grandchildren, one dog, and one cat.

Peg's novels for children are regularly recommended by the American Library Association, the International Reading Association, and the Children's Book Council. She has won many state "young reader" or "children's choice" awards. Peg's characters are ordinary kids who find themselves in exciting situations and who use their wits to solve their problems. There is usually humor as well as suspense in her books. A long-time volunteer at The Humane Society, she often uses animals in her stories.

Before she began writing books for children, Peg published plays, short stories, articles, and two books for adults. She is a frequent speaker at conferences for librarians and teachers.

At the age of twelve, Peg had polio and was paralyzed from the neck down. Because she can remember that experience and her year of recovery so vividly, she finds it easy to write in the viewpoint of a twelve or thirteen year old. Most of her main characters are that age. Her autobiography, Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio, won the Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers&Illustrators, and the PEN Center USA West Award for Children's Literature.

When she is not writing, Peg likes to watch baseball, bake cookies, and pump her old player piano.

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Great Book!

This is such a great book! I read it a couple months ago, but I still remember what a great book it was! I let a friend read it and we are both good reader and both of us loved it! I would highly recomend this book to any good reader who likes funny, spooky, and thriling books!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted September 8, 2006

Great Story

This is a fairly quick read. It was packed with suspense, humor, mystery and more. What a fun kids book to share

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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ohio1

Posted July 7, 2012

The Ghosts Grave

I am 11 and I loved this book! I am so into ghost boos and this is one of the best ones I have read...

Emma

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted June 9, 2014

The Ghost,s Grave

I love Peg Kehret's books! Ive already read this book 3 times and it is such a page turner! A very easy fun read

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Anonymous

Posted August 2, 2013

josh has moved in a new town. he joins the baseball team to make

josh has moved in a new town. he joins the baseball team to make some new friends. then his mom tells him that her and her boyfriend have to go to india for a job. josh has to go to his aunt ethel house in carbon city. what begains as the worst summer ever ends as the best. josh finds a tree house that he loves to read in. whlie in the tree house he meets a ghost. that died in a coal mine in carbon city. he also meets a cat that he names mrs.stray, she has 3 kitten. the ghost needs joshes help to dig up his leg. when he dig up the bones he finds something that was stolen a while ago to help to build something. his aunt brakes her ankle and has to go to the hospital.josh has a crazy night. in the moring he has to go to the police station. he get inerved by the new caster. one of aunt ethel church friend son is joshes age and he needs another baseball player on the team. josh and bruce catch the stray cat. josh keeps the mom. bruce keeps spooky. the other 2 kitten go to some ladys at the church. josh ends up having a great time at his aunt ethel's house.

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Anonymous

Posted June 16, 2012

Awsome book!!

This booj was a extremely excelent written book. Very interesting. Crazy things sometimes popped in the book like the thief tracing the stolen money to Aunt Ethal.Book is worth buying.

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Anonymous

Posted April 1, 2010

The Ghost's Grave

The book was a nice book; this is my third time reading it. I always forget the end like people do. The book has its ups and downs but you have to read it to find out.The plot is that Josh wants to play baseball but his parent's job makes them go to India. He has to stay with an aunt that he does not know. Josh's summer gets a little exciting when he runs into a ghost and finds a mystery in the making, you will have to read to find out more. Over all this is a 5 star book you have to read. The well defined characters are great. The words will give you a good mental image. I love this book.You will have to Read the book to see if he solves the mystery and finds the ghost's grave. Finally I rated this book 5 star because it's a great mystery and you can't put the book down. Read the book to find out more. I recommenced this book to people who like mystery and ghosts!

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GHOSTS!!!!!!!

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pheleipe

Posted April 10, 2009

one of the best books ive ever read

Josh was just a boy waiting for summer to come. When he found out he had to stay with his great aunt all his thoughts were going to change. He couldn't play summer baseball so he would have to find something else to do.Josh had only been there a few days when he met the ghost named Willie. The ghost told him he needed to help the ghost move on. The ghost had been a mine worker when an explosion happened. He had an accident before and blew his leg off and now he can't move on unless his leg bones are with him.
Evaluation This book was an ok book it wasn't really that great but it was interesting and exciting. It really pulled you in to an interesting story
This is a great book that will pull you in and make you read every word from cover to cover. This is a thriller and when you start reading you won't be able to stop.This is one of the greatest books I've ever read and I liked reading it. I don't like to read and I liked this book a lot.

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animallover234

Posted April 3, 2009

I Also Recommend:

Peg Kehret does it again!

Peg Kehret did it again! She wrote another amazing book! My class read this book in school. My teacher only reads a chapter a day and I just had to get the book from the library because it hooked me in to wanting to read it. And when I got it from the library and I started reading it I just couldn't put it down. This book is funny,suspenseful,and a great mystery. I would would recommend this book to any one that loves a good funny mystery. And I think I should add that I loved It!

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Anonymous

Posted November 30, 2008

Great Ghost Book for elementary readers

It was a good book with interesting characters. It is one of the best books I've ever read.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted September 8, 2008

best book

its an amazing book im halk way done with it it made me kinda of cry

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted December 18, 2005

'The Box of Money' Not as scary as expected: Focuses on the money box

The book wasn't scary although it says a 'spooky adventure' at the bottom. It's about a boy who plans on spending a dull summer at his aunts, but soon meets a ghost named Willie who wants Josh, the boy, to rebury his leg with his body, but Josh finds a box of money and must soon escape from a devious thief. The book was not scary, but the ending was suspenseful: +3 for that, and +1 for her awesome book Abduction! I would give 'The Ghosts Grave' a 7, but Abduction! a 10 for it's suspenseful moments on the ferry, the baseball game and the resteraunt. Read Abduction!- it's so suspenseful and chilling. TRUST ME!

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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